<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Howdy fellow Celiacs!

It occurred to me today when I was out shopping that a lot of people hear
about great GF products (the kind that don't taste like rice-flavored
cardboard) via this listserv and may not know how to get them if they can't
find them in local stores.  I thought that, since I've been GF for about 16
years, I'd try to offer a few hints.

For those of you who are reading this on the listserv, you obviously have the
internet.  That's a good place to start.  Most companies will have a web site
with ordering information.  I've even seen GF "internet food stores" where
you can order various items.

Sometimes, however, it's a hassle to contact the companies and deal with
shipping charges.  In that case, try a local health food or specialty food
store.  If they don't have what you want, ask--chances are that they will be
more than willing to order it for you, and at no more cost than their regular
price.  I just requested a bunch of boxes of those Frookie cookies from my
health food store, because I couldn't find a store that was carrying them.
The store owner looked it up in his distributor list, wrote down my request,
and promised to have them waiting for me at the store in a few days.  It's
really pretty easy, and they're usually happy to get some feedback on what
tastes good.  I found out today that the health food store owner didn't
realize that "wheat free" didn't necessarily mean "gluten free" (some
manufacturers use oat or barley flour in place of wheat flour--big
improvement, eh?).  He'd been stocking shelves of wheat free cookies that
weren't selling very well.  Now he knows why!

I recently completed a major study on Celiac Sprue for my organic chemistry
class at my university.  I found that in countries such as Italy, all
children are screened for Sprue by the age of seven.  In other words, the
United States is still "catching up" to the level of Celiac accommodations
found in countries like Italy or Ireland.  I think that we will find that as
more Celiacs are diagnosed, better quality--and more available--products will
find their way into the regular food stores.  For now, the moral of the story
is this: don't hesitate to make a special order--a special diet deserves it!

Happy eating,
Jessica from Chicago

P.S.  I have no financial interest in the products or companies mentioned.